Artist Live/Work Space at Appleton Mills Nears Completion

2010-12-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

Another neighborhood comes back to life as the Appleton Mills building on Jackson Street nears completion. It’s been under construction for months and this project is one more step in the process of revitalizing the JAM (Jackson Street, Appleton Street, Middlesex Street) section of the city of Lowell.

“The building is actually three buildings that through renovations have grown together,” said Nancy Ludwig from Icon Architecture of Boston. These buildings were constructed in the early 1900s and the post and beam structure was originally built to house heavy looms. Although they were built for utility, it seems there is a definite charm to the large arched windows and brick façade that makes this kind of project a desirable place to live. The architectural firm “designed this live/work community to both engage the surrounding historic neighborhood and, yet, actively display the creativity of the community of artists within,” Ludwig explained.

The current renovation was rather complicated since the buildings were abandoned for years and the top floor was burned in a fire. The wooden members had to be replaced and there was almost no flooring that wasn’t damaged by water infiltration. Many of the steel and cast iron columns were salvaged and reused. The structure had to be reassembled.

Almost ready for hardwood floor installation.

The south façade of the Mill was carefully restored with innovative staging and scaffolding because it is directly on the wall of the Hamilton Canal. “Cleaning the exterior and replacing windows dramatically improved the look of the façade,” said Ludwig. One side of the building has a contemporary treatment to the exterior because a lot of the historic fabric was removed during demolition by a previous owner. Icon Architecture decided on an industrial aesthetic to complement the original appearance. It makes perfect sense because of the fact that this was originally an industrial building.

Appleton Mills is an important part in the history of the Hamilton Canal District. The buildings are on the National and State Registers of Historic Places and they are included in both the Lowell National Historic Park & Preservation District and the Locks and Canals Historic District. Applications are now being accepted for rentals. Don’t miss this great opportunity.

Some Sapces Still Available -- so Don't Waste Time.

Amenities include: a fitness center, laundry room, community lounge with Wi-Fi, roof terrace, dedicated storage and sink rooms, outdoor open space and public passageway for rotating public art displays, two loading docks, wide hallways, service elevators for transporting materials and artwork.

www.liveappletonmills.com 978.458.0588

(click on this image to enlarge)

On the Lowell Beat: My Life and Times with Jack Kerouac

2010-06-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

On The Lowell Beat: My Times with Jack Kerouac - an Audio CD. ... All Photos Copyright (C) 2010 William G. Koumantzelis (except where noted) / All Rights Reserved. ... All photos in the personal family archives of William G. Koumantzelis. ... Unlawful to use without permission. ... All CD's available at CD Baby.com as hard copies or as digital downloads, or though Apple iTunes, or by contacting me directly here via my email at: billykoumantzelis@gmail.com. ... THANKS!

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Artist Live/Work Space at Appleton Mills Nears Completion

On the Lowell Beat: My Life and Times with Jack Kerouac

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